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Home  Kenya's Coast Coastal Towns |
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MOMBASA
 Mombasa is Kenya’s second largest town and the oldest- with a history, which stretches back virtually 2,000 years. The first recorded evidence of its existence was reported by Diogenes, a Greek traveller, in the second century of the Christian era. The town is built on what was formerly an island midway along the coast, south of the Equator. Less than a century ago the builders of what was then called the Uganda Railway attached the island to the mainland by building a causeway.
To the north a new bridge spans Tudor Creek, with views of the old harbour, linking the town with beach resorts that stretch along the north coast.
On the south side, a frequent car and passenger ferry service plies across Kilindini Creek, close to the entrance of the modern port area with its multitude of wharves and deep water berths, carrying travellers to the splendid beach resorts on the coast.
Mombasa town itself is a mystical mixture of ancient and modern with a cosmopolitan population blending Africa, Arabia, Europe and Asia. The people who live in this old but vibrant gateway to Kenya and Africa now number approximately 1 million.
 Fringing the Dhow Harbour is the Old Town, a maze of narrow streets and pedestrian lanes lined with quaint shuttered houses and open-fronted shops. The smell of spices is always present. Dominating the entrance to the Dhow Harbour and overlooking the old town is Fort Jesus, built by the Portuguese in the last decade of the 16-century. The fort is open to visitors and within is a small museum displaying antiquities from the length of the Kenya coast.
A wide array of Africa curios, together with some antiques are available from the shops and sidewalk vendors, but the shopping highlight is a visit to Biashara Street where shops compete for the purchasers eye, and his pocket, with dazzling displays of locally woven fabrics and prints.
With its contrasting culture and easy paced way of life Mombasa is a rewarding experience for most tourists- with a diversity of pursuits and interests to choose from.
MALINDI
Malindi’s exact age is not quite known but it is said to go back as far as the 9th Century. This town is situated 74 miles north of Mombasa and west of the Watamu District. The area west of Watamu up to Malindi is designated as a National Reserve including the Watamu and Malindi Marine National Parks.
During the 1960’s Malindi started to become a popular holiday destination for the European traveler looking for exotic destinations and attractions, of which Malindi has many, including curio shops, a casino and a wide variety of restaurants and bars. However, it tends to get quite crowded during the busy times of the European winter.
The Old Town of Malindi is very small and can be seen in a short time strolling through the shady lanes. Here you will find a market open daily and a number of stalls, selling local souvenirs and handcrafts.
The beauty of the coastline, with its variety of beach coves, rocky cliffs and palm trees, combined with the tropical weather and the warm Indian Ocean are what make Malindi an ideal sun, sea and sand location.
WATAMU
is a quiet fishing village 12 miles south of Malindi. It is a modern resort with hotels sheltered behind coral sculptures and coconut trees that shade the surrounding areas.
Watamu consists of lagoons and a beach of the palest pink sand, known as Turtle Bay. It is a resort village which has grown up from a simple settlement and now the areas boasts several hotels. Many visitors come to Watamu just to visit Watamu Marine National Park, stretching from the blue lagoon to Mida Creek.
Blue Lagoon is a charming cove, protected by rocky outcrops, with clear blue sea, which reflects beautiful colours of greens and blues and at low tide a reef is revealed and a show of Marine life can be seen.
 At the turn off to Watamu lies the ruined town of Gedi, which are probably some of the better known ruins in Kenya. The fairly large town of Gedi (2500 inhabitants), which existed from the 13th to the 17th century, was apparently not known to to the Portuguese occupiers in Malindi, a mere 15 kilometers away. It also fails to appear in any Arabic or Swahili manuscripts and seems to have been unknown to them as well. Its desertion is thought to have been caused by a violent tribe called the Galla, who may have occupied Gedi in the eighteenth century.
One tomb, called the Dated Tomb, is inscribed with the date 802 AH, meaning A.D. 1399. Gedi's palace, seven mosques, pillar tomb, and other ruins make Gedi a fascinating place to visit.
DIANI
 Here you'll find white beaches, palm trees and coral reefs that make Diani a little tropical paradise. It is the most developed beach on the south coast with hotels, self-catering cottages, banks, curio shops, supermarkets and a wide variety of good restaurants, including what has to be the best pizzeria on the Kenyan coast.
But apart from sunbathing, beach walks and water sports there are also other things to see in the area: Shimba Hills National Reserve is only a short drive away, and there is lovely bird watching at the Tiwi River just north of Diani.
If you are interested in seeing the rare Colobus monkeys, indigenous to this area, with their velvety black and white coat a visit to the Colobus Centre, a place of conservation and a sanctuary for insured animals, is the right thing for you. However, you will also see plenty of huge baboons cross from one side of the road to the other or roaming on hotel grounds.
Diani has become a most sought after destination for holiday makers not only for its beautiful beaches and relaxed atmosphere but also for its nearness to Tsavo National Park (distance from Mombasa to park gate at Voi is 165km) which allows travellers to combine both beach holiday and Kenya safari.
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